On Silent Walking and Having My Own Mastodon Instance

On Silent Walking and Having My Own Mastodon Instance

Byrichard

In an ideal world Silent Walking would make sense. In an ideal world the environment where you walk would be quiet and free from distractions. How many of us live somewhere that is far from cars, road works, construction, farming and other noises? During my walks I hear the sound of a motorway, the sound of a quarry, the sound of buildings being demolished, and the noises of construction. I also hear the sounds of cars driving too fast and too close.

From my introduction you will be misled into thinking that I don’t like silent walking, but I do practice it often. I often walk for an hour and a half and for the first half hour or the last half hour I remove the earphones and I just walk, in the moment. I also cycle without any distractions, ever, except for the GPS and taking pictures, but that’s part of being in the moment, rather than a negative distraction.

I also mindful drive. I don’t turn on the radio for music. I don’t always listen to audiobooks or podcasts. I often drive without the radio on, because of my cycling habit. I don’t listen to anything when cycling because I want to hear the dangerous drivers as early as possible, to turn around, let them see that I know they’re there, so that they behave in a more humane manner.

Lockdown and Silent Walking

lockdowns were a fantastic time for Silent Walking because at the time people were walking, rather than driving cars, so the environment was silent. Without cars walking routes really open up. Without cars you can walk by a motorway without the noise of cars. Without heavy traffic walks that were unthinkable were feasible, because there was little noise pollution, and less danger. I found a lot of new routes during lockdown, which is why I believe we should have more walking paths between villages and towns.

Walking and Danger

I love walking without using the car, but in order to do these walks I need to walk along busy roads where cars are driving above the speed limit, and give no safety margin. If I tripped or fell, I’d fall under a speeding car and they would have no time to avoid me.They’d be left with a mess to clean up.

Noise Pollution

I believe that for Silent Walking, for Mindful Walking, it would make sense to use noise cancelling headphones, with a podcast or audiobook, rather than nothing. As I wrote before, you have the sounds of construction, of motorways, of speeding cars, of gravel pits and more. The silence that they idealise doesn’t exist, so to be mindful requires creating one’s own silence, one’s own white noise.

The Right Values

During Lockdown people had the right values. They gave up on the car, in favour of walking and cycling locally. Not only was the world more quiet and mindful, but so the freedom to walk and explore, without using the car was around. Modern society has lost a lot, by over-relying on cars. If we would walk, cycle, skateboard and more, we would benefit as a society.

On Having a Personal Mastodon Instance

I was mucking around with WordPress, Classic Press and the Fediverse and it was fun. I lost interest eventually because I found that I didn’t especially like the Fediverse. Everything that I hated about Twitter was transplanted onto Mastodon so I declared bankruptcy and deleted two or three accounts, and didn’t really get back into the Fediverse for a while.

Trending Freedom

By having my own instance I found that not only could I avoid having any trending hashtags but I could also see which tags I see, and which ones are muted. By having full control I can control my own experience, rather than relying on the values of others.

Stream Control

By controlling my own instance I start from an empty feed. I can add, or remove individuals or hashtags with ease. In so doing I control how positive or negative the conversations are, and whether I see toxic discussions or not. By controlling what I see, I control how I feel, and that’s important. It means that if I find something toxic, to me, I can remove it. With Twitter and other instances I can’t control the community with as much freedom as on my own instance so it doesn’t take much for something to feel toxic.

Cost Control

If Azure, AWS or Infomaniak had Mastodon as an option for a self-configuring system then I would use that for experimentation. I’m using masto.host because it was the cheapest option, aside from free. With it I can familiarise myself with moderation tools and more, without having to go through the configuration and installation process.

And Finally

One of the key advantages of having my own Mastodon instance is that I need to behave. I need to be more positive, but I also have more control. For some reason the freedom of controlling my own server makes Mastodon more fun. I hope that I will finally stop bouncing from server to server now.

The Environmental Impact of Construction Noise
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The Environmental Impact of Construction Noise

Byrichard

When people speak about construction they always think of the carbon footprint of construction but I’d like to take a look at the noise footprint of destruction of old buildings and construction of new buildings.

I live close to a quarry. If I open the windows I can hear the noise of tracks grating along as diggers and machines move around and drop construction rubble and other materials either onto the ground, or into the truck’s back. A few days I counted at least eight diggers working simultaneously. That’s a lot of noise.

Roof Replacement

A year or two ago I had several weeks of noise pollution that came from the replacement of a roof. They moved the old tiles, removed the wooden beams, and then they had to put new ones. The noise lasted for weeks or even months.

Destruction of Old Buildings

In Switzerland you see that densification is taken seriously. As soon as a single family has moved out of their old homes developers come in, flatten the old building, after just 30-50 years of use, and build something new. A building nearby has been demolished over three days, so far, and the noise is constant, from the time they start their shift until the time their shift ends. The result of this noise pollution, and environmental pollution, is that windows need to be closed and white noise needs to be produced.

The Noise of Construction

Once the buildings are demolished we are then condemned to months of construction noises. We are condemned to the sound of stone cutting, brick cutting, trucks and other machines. We are condemned to hundreds, if not thousands of hours of construction noises, for each building.

My Concern

My concern is that huge amounts of energy are being wasted to build homes that last for one family, before being demolished, and a new building constructed. Every building destruction and rebuild results in a year or two of noise pollution, if not more. That noise has an environmental impact and the Swiss do not worry about it. You can’t fly an ultralight plane, but you can demolish a building and build another, without worrying about noise pollution.

My Idealism

While preparing dinner yesterday I was tempted by the idea of having noise pollution regulations for construction, that would force builders to consider their environmental noise impact. I would measure the base noise level of a construction site, before works begin, and if construction is in a quiet place, it should not be allowed to exceed a certain noise level, for two reasons.

The first is that noise pollution is disruptive. It breaks focus, hence the need for white noise, but it also takes away the freedom to open windows to cool down buildings. During summer heatwavess this means that buildings that could easily be cooled, become impossible to cool down, due to environmental noise pollution.

I found it quieter when I spent 21 days in the middle of Geneva, and when I lived in Meyrin, by the airport, than I do in villages where they want to densify where people live.

Europe is looking at noise pollution, mainly focused at traffic, but I believe that construction noise pollution should be addressed. For four or five years I have suffered from construction noise pollution. It is now so bad that I rarely open windows for more than a few minutes at a time, in between bouts of noise pollution. Before moving in this noisy village I would open windows in the morning, and close them before sunset. I have lost that feedom due to noise pollution

And Finally

Due to noise pollution the Outside Air Temperature is 19°c but I can’t take advantage to cool my 28°c apartment because if I open the windows I will get construction noise permanently. After three years of living in a warm apartment over the summer months I have acclimated. I would like to regain the freedom to cool my apartment, by opening windows, without suffering with the noise of construction.

I miss being able to open a window in the morning, forgetting about it, and then closing it in the evening. I hope that other people feel the same way, and that with time, new noise regulations will come into being.

A Ride in 35° Heat

Byrichard

Yesterday I spent time in the sun in the morning, as a result of which I thought I would avoid going out in the heatwave. I changed my mind. Every Sunday a group of pétanque playing alcoholics play pétanque for several hours. They cheer, they laugh, they make noise, for hours in a row. I don’t want to hear that sound, especially since the pandemic is not over. People are still falling sick with Long COVID and they’re being disabled. It doesn’t take long to read posts on social media by people suffering from Long COVID.

Before the Pandemic

Before the pandemic I wouldn’t have been home, or if I was home I would already have spent the morning climbing, cycling, diving or hiking. Due to the pandemic I do these things but in solitude. I also have a routine. I normally study in the morning, and do sports in the afternoon. If I flip it around my intellectual capacity is reduced and my studying stalls. Yesterday proved the necessity of my routine.

I Can’t Say No

Two years ago I wrote about pandemic solitude. It still hasn’t ended. If I am asked to do things I have no valid reason to say no, but it also puts my happiness into turmoil, both to be asked but also to want to study but feel that I should be social instead. The more my morning is broken, the slower I am to reach my goal of feeling employable in a new career. This, in turn delays having the type of life that would make seeing other people fun, rather than an obligation.

Noisy Afternoons

Experience has taught me that the afternoons are noisy, and this noise is the reason I go out for walks, whether it’s raining, snowing, windy and cold or a heatwave. I find that my mental health benefits from getting away from people living as if the pandemic was not over. Plenty of data, around the world, shows that the pandemic is not over. That’s why cycling is such a great sport.

The Beauty of Cycling

The beauty of cycling, even during a heatwave is that you’re usually between villages and towns. You’re surrounded by clean air. I have become absurd, because I don’t want to be around strangers without a mask, especially around large crowds of strangers, in restaurants and other places.

Sunday is one of the worst days to be in solitude. If you go for a walk you will encounter family groups and groups of friends. You are in solitude, and they are not. You have to pass, you are reminded of what you are missing, and you have to survive the experience.

By being on a bike, especially on the roads between fields you are in solitude. If you choose the right routes you are far from people, from cars, from dogs and more. You are in the moment, watching the landscape change, heading upwards, downwards and across.

35°c

Yesterday it was 35°c according to the weather services, and 37°c according to my watch. Normally on such a ride I would ride much harder. I would try to beat all my speed personal bests. Yesterday I didn’t. I rode slower than usual. I wanted to spend time outdoors, keep fit, but without giving myself heatstroke. It’s not the heat that worries me. It’s the time spend in the sun.

At first I thought this would be a short ride, because I thought the heat would affect me. Since I felt fine I continued. I arrived at a fountain and I refilled both bottles, and I splashed myself. I didn’t feel the need to splash myself to cool down, but did it anyway, in anticipation of feeling overheated.

Quiet

I continued through the Bois de Versoix and I hardly saw anyone walking, or even cycling. I did get to a parking, and the parking was filled with cars. Everyone had decided to go to the riverside between the trees to keep cool. What seemed paradoxical is that I couldn’t see anyone. I could hear children and see the cars, but nothing more. Riding in such conditions is nice. No population stress.

The Place des Nations Fountains

Before I got to Place Des Nations I refilled my water bottle. I then headed down to the Place Des Nations fountains where children were playing. I put my bike against some seats, and allowed one of the water jets to soak me and my clothing. I then continued my bike ride.

I kept splashing water on my face but didn’t really feel the need. I did this as a precaution, rather than out of desperate need. I felt fine, despite the heat

Three or Four Sips at a Time

When riding in the heat there are moments when you feel your thirst grow, so you drink too much, too fast. It’s important not to drink too much too fast, or you’ll just waste it.

Luckily I didn’t.

And Finally

During this ride I made sure to ride more slowly than usual. I made sure not to push myself beyond my ability to cope with the weather. I also made sure to be hydrated at all times. I had one flask filled with water, and the second filled with an electrolyte drink. I topped up both. I calculate that I drank at least two litres, which, over three hours isn’t much, but it worked. I felt fine when I got home. I was still thirsty but ate some peanuts and then drank water. I was thirsty for re-mineralisation. I wanted to recover the salt I had lost.

Cycling is a good sport in a heatwave, because you’re riding in the breeze that you’re creating. My fear of heatstroke was not realised, luckily.

The Noise Pollution of Caribana and Other Music Festivals

The Noise Pollution of Caribana and Other Music Festivals

Byrichard

Summary


In the 21st century technology exists that could make music festivals sound good for festival goers, whist not ruing the night of sleep for neighbours of the festival. I would like EPFL and other academic groups to work towards finding a way to make music festivals more considerate of neighbouring humans, and wildlife. Music festivals should apply Corporte Social Responsability by reducing noise pollution.


Noisy Summers


During the summer months people organise outdoor events, which is fantastic. What is less fantastic is that those outdoor events are organised to take place from mid to late afternoon, all the way to 2 to 3am. This means that if you live downwind from Music Festivals you will not be able to sleep for days at a time. 


Sleepless in Nyon – Due to Paléo and Caribana


Instead of going to bed by 2200 and sleeping by midnight you’re stuck trying to outdo the festival with noise. If you go to bed then you’ll have the noise pollution from the festival for hours. 


Staying Up Later


When I was a university student living in halls I would make sure to go to sleep by two or three am, every single night. I wanted to go to sleep after all the noisy people had gone to sleep, to avoid being bothered by noise pollution. It worked extremly well. 


The paradox is that I went to sleep after everyone else, but I also got up before a lot of people. I was easily living on four hours of sleep per night.  The problem is that I am now two decades older, or thereabouts. I actually need my sleep now. 


More Noise Pollution Due to Increasingly Powerful Speakers


The problem with music noise pollution from music festivals is that it is getting louder, with time, rather than quieter. For years I had the noise of the Paléo, during Paléo, but I could sleep through it. It was just barely loud enough to sometimes make out what was playing. 


With the Carbiana the music is so loud. three to five kilometres away, as the drone flies, that with an air conditioner and a fan going at full power in a small room, or an extractor fan in a living room/kitchen, the thump is still audible. The speaker stacks are set so loud that two or three villages away you hear the festival as if you were there. That’s with all the windows closed, and double glazed windows. 


The Sub Optimal Festival Sound Engineer


Caribana and other music festivals have people who are not that intellectually astute. I say this, because, in the 90s and the zeros there was an excuse for that flood of noise. Technological limitations. In 2023 that excuse is moot. The speakers are more powerful, more noisy.


With speakers becoming smaller, more efficient, and less visible it would make sense to distribute the speakers, within the crowd, and set them to a lower volume. It doesn’t make sense to pump out a wall of sound for a tiny festival venue. 


Increasing Nuissance


I’m writing this blog post because I think the problem is getting worse, as the technology makes noise pollution easier to create. I’m writing this because if we have people gluing themselves to roads, because of car pollution, then we should have people protesting music festivals, for failing to consider the environmental impact, and corporate social responsibility in regards to noise pollution. 


Fairness – Environmentalism


Festival goers are meant to be altermondialistes, in favour of a fairer, more environmentally friendly society, and yet for five days per year individual festivals make sleep difficult or impossible. Boiled down to one word festivals like Caribana are selfish. They don’t consider that people want to sleep at night, that they don’t want their personal sphere to be invaded by the noise pollution from a festival. 


Develop Accoustically Conscious Solutions


I want Paléo, Caribana and every other festival to consider the noise pollution that they create, and stop it. Paléo collaborates with EPFL, so EPFL and Paléo, should find a way to play music loud enough for festival goers to hear it, without earplugs, and for the neighbouring countryside to be silent. How Caribana and Paléo behave, in regards to noise pollution is immoral and unethical. I want it to change. 


Geneva’s Attitude to Noise


I know I am one solitary voice, but don’t forget, the fêtes de Genève had to stop making noise by midnight when they were allowed, and eventually I think they were banned, because locals complained. 


Remember, the Geneva motto, between neighbours is “The less we hear each other, the better we get along.” Festivals are loud and disruptive. Something should be done to resolve this issue. 


I expect to have another sleepless night tonight. Monday I will have my first night of sleep, since Tuesday. 


Oh, to have quiet summers, like we did during the part of the pandemic, when governments were not ignoring the spread of the virus. 

Music Festivals, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sleep Deprivation

Music Festivals, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sleep Deprivation

Byrichard

First things First, I have had a lot of fun at festivals, and I have volunteered for a few. What I object to is the noise pollution. In the 21st century we could avoid that noise pollution, so we should.


And now for the rant, now that I have told you I like festivals, when they don’t get in the way of other peoples’ desire for silence, for sleep.


As I write this I am in a sleep deprived state because I was unable to sleep according to my circadian rhythm due to a music festival. The sound engineers that work at music festivals are pretty dumb, so they build powerful stacks of speakers that are so loud that you need hearing protection at the music festival, and the surrounding countryside is filled with noise pollution. 


I Know, I Know, They Don’t Care. 


I know, I shouldn’t insult an entire profession for taking no pride in their work, and not taking any responsibility for the harm they do to the surrounding countryside. They can’t help it. They’re just not very bright. 


I write this for catharsis, because for five hours yesterday the music festival upwind from where I live was noisy from 1900 to 0100. I felt like going to sleep earlier as I knew I had to get up early. In the end I failed to get to sleep until an hour or two after the noise pollution ended. 


Highly Polluting


Blocked cycle lane, for a music festival
Blocked cycle lane, for a music festival


In the 21st century, and given the audience, you would expect music festivals to be environmentally friendly. They boast about “compostable cups” and recycling and more. They then encourage columns of cars to park on crop fields, where, if it rains, or if vehicles are leaking oil, the ground becomes polluted with festival goer hydrocarbons from cars. 


The noise pollution is a serious problem. Near Nyon there are two big festivals. Caribama, which is taking place now, and Paléo, next month. Both festivals are filled with altermondalistes who want a greender planet, corporations to be socially responsible, and yet for a week each, these festivals make noise pollution several nights in a row from 1900 until 2 or 3am. For those weeks it becomes challenging to sleep. 


Yesterday I had two fans going, at full power and I couldn’t block out the thudding from the bass that the music festival was pumping out. If I had wanted to, I could have listened to the festival for free. 


FOMO


Although governments, the Far Right and the media they control have said that the pandemic is over it isn’t. Music festivals were a source of psychological torture because they reminded us that whilst we were self-isolating and trying to avoid long COVID the alcoholics, and less intellectually bright, were getting drunk and enjoying themselves, with no thought or consideration for the impact the substances, sleep deprivation, and long COVID could have on their health. 


I Have Volunteered at These Events


I am not against these events, as such. I used to enjoy them as a young adult. It’s as a middle aged “grumpy” man that I hate them. I don’t hate them for what they are, but for their disregard for people’s intimate sphere. I dislike them for their invasion of the private sphere, through noise pollution. 


In the 21st century, in the age where we can’t mow lawns between 1230 and 1330, where we can’t vacuum on Sundays and more, why is it socially acceptable to allow such noise pollution until two or three am for a week at a time? 


I thought that festival goers wanted  a fairer, greener, more responsible world, and yet they pollute fields with parked cars, make it impossible to sleep and more. 


Do festival goers not realise the paradox of wanting a fairer world, despite their own selfish behaviour? 


Let us sleep. Lower the volume. Be kind and considerate of those that are not participating in your event. Show empathy. 

The Lost Art of Silent Material Cutting

The Lost Art of Silent Material Cutting

Byrichard

For years now the noise in this village has been frustrating me. It is the noise of industrial cutting. The noise of an angle grinder on metal, of a circular saw on bricks, stone and wood. It is the constant wail of a circular saw cutting into something, every few seconds, or minutes, for hours at a time, for months at a time. 


It is the reason for which, instead of opening windows I turn on a fan and swelter in summer. It is the reason for which I don’t open the window and close it at night. It is the reason for which I have gone from having windows open the entire time there is daylight, to keeping them closed. 


Industrial Noise In Rural Settings


People idealise and romanticise the idea of repairing one’s own tractors, cars and more. People idealise doing one’s own carpentry, rather than calling professionals. I don’t. 


I don’t idealise people who redo the decking for their swimming pool and other things because they’re using industrial machines in a village settings. This is not the noise of centuries gone by. This is not the sound of a manual saw cutting through wood. This is not the physical fitness training of cutting wood, and repairing a deck. This is industrial noise, in a private garden. Modern tools have made the process of home repair industrial, acoustically.  This is a shame because the old fashioned way of doing things was quiet, considerate of neighbours. 


When I Made Noise


A few years ago I was told off for making noise for using a machine to sand wood on the partition between two properties, before putting fresh varnish on the wood. I had made noise for two days. When I made noise I was told off after two days. In the village where I live now noise pollution is constant.


Part of the noise came from the building of one or two new buildings, for two years or so. More noise pollution came from a farmer doing maintenance work on farm equipment. The third was a repair shop making noise. The last source of noise was the rebuilding of a roof. 


Years of Noise Pollution


The result is years of noise pollution, on a daily basis for years. The result is that the windows stay closed during sweltering summers. The result is that I am cooking in a 26°c appartment when the Outside Air Temperature is just 16°c. 


The Privacy of Silence


People worry about web privacy. They worry about other privacies. They never consider the privacy of silence, the privacy of keeping windows open without being harassed with noise pollution. I miss the intimacy of silence. I miss being able to open windows in the morning, and closing them before sunset. 


Adaptation


Noise pollution has forced me to adapt to living in a sweltering apartment without open windows. If I open the windows I am constantly distracted by the noise of industrial cutting. I have had to grow used to being too warm for months at a time. 


Sweltering


I used to love the heat. When you’re in the top floor of an apartment, unable to open windows due to noise pollution you’re stuck with adapting to heat. Walking in the noon day sun on a 37°c day is refreshing, after spending time in an apartment where the windows are closed, due to noise pollution. 


I don’t use the fan for cooling, because it’s worthless for that. I use it as white noise machine, so that I can focus on tasks, and achieve my goals. Until I lived in this apartment I never understood the value of white noise machines. Now I do. 


And Finally


One of the easiest solutions is to go for my daily walk when people start to be too noisy. That’s why I go for a walk at the time I do go for a walk. I found that this was the time at which the noise pollution annoyed me most. Switzerland might have been quiet back in the day, but no longer. 

It’s Like A Night Out In The Savannah

Byrichard

Nights in halls are like nights out in the Savannah. Since the drunk party sound coming through walls is a given that’s the sound of crickets and frogs. It’s constantly there and theoretically you should eventually learn to sleep through it over time. Of course it’s not quite constant enough.

Then you’ve got the sound of banging and shuffling from the kitchen. Now that sound is the thunder storms and rain that will come over and wake you, soak you and make you wish you had a friendly cave to crawl into for shelter.

The third one are lions and hyenas, high up on the food chain and the most nefarious to your health should you not be careful. That’s the argumentative drunks often found before day break. With these there’s nothing you can do but make sure you’ve found somewhere safe to hide away, grin and bear it.

Overall what these three elements mean is one thing, that a proper night of sleep is less likely than snow on the beaches of the South Coast of England.

Noise and Liveable Flats

Byrichard

It’s only 130am therefore it’s not that late but I want to sleep and there is something that has been hindering this effort particularly strongly for the past three nights. Drunken people with no pitch or tone control when singing using their lungs and voice projection to full pelt.

It’s not that I’m against partying but I do believe in making noise during the day or away from habitations during the day. I would love to see the same thing happen in London as in Switzerland.

Laws that forbid noise after 10pm.

On a second note here are ways future halls and student accomodation may be improved to make a full night of sleep possible.

  1. Cupboards that don’t slam. When you’re living by a kitchen one of the most annoying sounds is hearing others close cupboards

  2. Solid doors that don’t bang. The main door to the complex is loud. Every time it closes you hear it. The doors to the flat make noise when you open them.

  3. Silent locks. The sound of a key pulling the latch is loud when background sounds are inexistent

  4. Soundproofed walls. being able to hear what’s going on next door is not always pleasant.

  5. Proper windows. When you’ve got idiots outside yelling at other idiots you’ll hear the entire conversation. That’s not what you want.

  6. A system of fines rather than bans. People get far more annoyed and take far more seriously a financial loss than a ban.  With a ban you may end up in a nice house or flat where you live in better conditions.

  7. Smart fire alarms. You’ve got security so if a fire is activated check the area with a heat camera. If there’s nothing out of the ordinary just go and clear the alarm after a visual check

  8. Free high quality headphones. Rather than have loud music blearing from every room why not provide students with nice headphones which they can use to hear their music in dolby digital surround sound…

  9. A noise fuse. The idea behind this device is simple. If you exceed a certain noise level all power is cut to the area where the noise levels are too high. In so doing disturbances would be far more limited.

10.  Quiet furniture. When you’ve got a concrete floor with no padding and chairs with no padding any shift of the furniture results in a lot of noise. Provide a quiet surface and life may be livable.

I’m tired of other people’s noise. I’d love for them to become reasonable and start being quiet. Once every two weeks is fine, but not every single day. Not all of us enjoy drinking at night and doing nothing during the day. Not all of us appreciate bad singing either.

Anyway worst case scenario I have another two weeks without sleep.

Best case scenario. New flat within a few days.

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Waking up to heavy metal

Byrichard

There is nothing more aggressive or stressful than being woken up by heavy metal. There is nothing but some idiot yelling into a microphone and other idiots calling it music. It’s not music so much as noise to me. I’d prefer to be woken to the sound of seagulls or the waves than music created by the disenfranchised youth of a bygone era.

In halls causes for being pulled from your sleep are numerous. On many occasions it’s people yelling from outside to windows, cleaning staff talking loud to each other, girls talking about subjects that would later embarrass them (hilarious though), and the clanking sound of kitchen utensils. There’s the sound of cupboards being opened and closed, of fire alarms, demolition, grating barriers and more.

I can’t think of anymore but those are a great method by which to make me appreciate the countryside all that much more. Nothing but the sweet sound of birds and wind in the branches, storm clouds, and more. Any noise that is not the result of some selfish person I do not mind.